


Figments

by Fyre



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-30
Updated: 2012-09-30
Packaged: 2017-11-15 09:09:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/525626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fyre/pseuds/Fyre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumpelstiltskin infiltrates Regina's castle and sees something he doesn't expect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Figments

They knew each other very well.

Rumpelstiltskin had honed Regina’s basic magic skills, so it took very little to unravel the enchantments she had placed on her doors. If his own locks had been flimsy, hers were even more so, and he strode in without a second’s pause.

She wasn’t there, of course. 

He had made sure of that by sending her on a wild chase after Snow White and her beloved Prince. She always took matters with the girl so personally, which meant that her castle was deserted, and all it took was a gesture to drape sacks over each and every mirror.

“Let’s see, let’s see,” he chuckled to himself, darting through the halls. “What shiny little baubles have you left me to steal?”

He suspected it was the bittersweet root juice that had got to his head. It wasn’t alcoholic, persay, but it was enough to take the edge off the pain of loss and loneliness. It also happened to be enough to make him do stupid things like break into a witch’s castle and leave a trail of chaos throughout. 

He picked through her trinket box, tossing tiny and fragile objects over his shoulders to smash into dust on the floor, and cooed to himself over particularly shiny items. Several made their way into his pockets.

He was, he realised as he skipped down the stairs, leapfrogging through the shadows to avoid the handful of guards, a little drunk. Only a little. Little enough to do something very stupid like try and break through the most secure charms and enchantments that the witch had ever conjured. 

There were cells, hidden deep beneath the castle. Only the most valued of treasures were hidden so deep, and Rumpelstiltskin liked to dig for precious things. Her heart vault held no interest to him. Heart magic was crude and messy at best. No, no, no. He was having none of that, no indeed.

He insinuated himself through the door, humming a noisome ditty, as he tweaked and tugged at the magic twisted around the halls and the sealed up rooms. His claws rattled against the metal as he darted from door to door.

One door gave him particular trouble. Or caused particular interest. He wasn’t quite sure which. It was one or the other or a bit of both. The thing was thick with enchantments and he tugged and pulled and prodded and poked until a tiny chink opened and he peeked through.

Blue eyes looked back at him from a familiar face.

Rumpelstiltskin shot backwards, trembling. He knew of curses that could deceive the eye, but he had not know Regina’s were cruel enough to make enemies believe they were seeing the dead. 

He forced himself back to the door, looked through again, but there was nothing within the cell, nothing but runes and charms and writing that made no sense at all. A cruel little trick, he thought, meant to throw off invaders.

All the same, robbing the Queen had lost its appeal. He never broke into her castle again after that.


End file.
